This is the kind of recipe that you can often rustle up from items that you already have in the kitchen. In the neighborhood in which I grew up, my mom was famous for saying that if you have a can of beans, then you have a meal! Even if you’re missing an ingredient or two, this should still come out delicious!

• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp. fresh sage (or 1 tsp. dry)
• 2 cans of cannellini beans, rinsed well
• 3 c. vegetable stock or water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 5 c. brown rice, steaming hot
• 1 c. fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley, chopped coarsely

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan, and add carrot, celery, onion, garlic and sage. Saute until onion is softening, about 5 minutes. Add beans and 2 cups of vegetable stock, and simmer 20 minutes until liquid is slightly reduced and veggies are soft. Allow to cool 10 minutes.

Scrape mixture into food processor (or high-speed blender) and pulse until almost smooth. Transfer back to the frying pan, add salt and pepper to taste, and reheat on low. The texture of the sauce should be satisfyingly thick, but if it’s too thick to pour you can add more stock, only a tablespoon or two at a time, until it’s just as you like it. Once it’s sufficiently warm, pour the bean sauce onto individual bowls of rice, and serve. Pass the parsley separately, allowing everyone to heap a generous pile on their beans and rice. Serves 4-6.

The original version of this hearty winter recipe comes from One Dish Vegetarian Meals, by Robin Robertson.